USA Reagan

• How many Electoral College Votes (ECVs) did Reagan win in the 1980 election?


  489 ECVs
• How many ECVs did Carter receive in the 1980 election?


  49 ECVs
• What was Reagan's stance on the 'Great Society' policies?


  He wanted to shift away from them, believing they weakened the USA by encouraging reliance on welfare.
• What were some factors contributing to low confidence in the U.S. during Reagan's rise to power?


  Loss in Vietnam, Watergate scandal, economic decline, and perceived incompetency of Carter.
• What backlash helped Reagan gain power?


  Backlash against 60s/70s liberalism and ineffective federal expenditure on social projects.
• What are the key characteristics of Reaganism compared to the 1920s Republican government?


  • Concentration of wealth at the top
  • Belief in rugged individualism
  • Division of the poor into worthy and feckless
  • Advocacy for big tax reductions and laissez-faire policies
  • Anti-union stance
  • Support for big business monopolization
• How does Reaganism compare to FDR's presidency in 1932?


  • Promise of radical change
  • Tight focus on the economy
  • Charismatic leadership replacing an unpopular president
• What did a 1979 poll reveal about public sentiment regarding children's futures?


  Public believed children's lives would be worse than their own.
• How did Reagan market himself politically?


  As a committed Christian with support from the religious right.
• What traditional values did Reagan advocate for?


  Opposition to abortion and homosexuality, and support for compulsory school prayer.
• What was the outcome of Reagan's attempt to pass a law restricting abortion access?


  It failed due to opposition in Congress.
• How did Reagan manage to work with Congress effectively?


  • Clear economic policy from the beginning
  • Compromised and worked with Democrats
  • Cultivated swing voters
  • Used televised appeals to gain public support
  • Maintained a good relationship with the media
• What was the impact of Reagan's personal popularity on the Republican Party in Congress?


  His popularity did not translate into electoral success for Republicans in Congress.
• How many justices did Reagan appoint during his presidency?


  4 justices
• What percentage of the federal judiciary had been appointed by Reagan when he left office in 1989?


  Over 50%
• What was the outcome of Robert Bork's Supreme Court appointment?


  It was rejected by the Senate 58-42.
• Why did some Republicans vote against Bork's appointment?


  They did so based on political grounds, turning their backs on Reagan.
• What immediate actions did Reagan take upon entering office regarding the White House staff and federal government?


  • Sacked many White House staff
  • Implemented a hiring freeze on the federal government
  • Ordered departments to cut operating and travel expenses
  • Established advisory groups to report on cutting government size
• What is the supply-side theory as proposed by Reagan?


  • Tax cuts lead to greater business investment
  • Expansion and employment increase
  • Higher wages result in more consumer spending
  • Ultimately, government receives more tax revenue
• How much did Reagan propose to cut from the 1982 federal budget?

  $40 billion
• What was unique about Reagan's State of the Union address in 1981 compared to previous presidents?


  He proposed a whole economic plan to be passed in one law, rather than just outlining budget plans.
• What were the key components of Reaganomics?


  • Cut federal deficit by reducing domestic spending
  • Reduce business and personal taxes
  • Deregulation of the economy
  • Control money supply to keep inflation low
• What was the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (ORA)?


  It was part of Reagan's legislation that included a $35 billion cut to the budget across 212 federal programs.
• What was the top tax rate reduction under the Economic Recovery Tax Act (ERA)?


  It fell from 70% to 50%.
• How did Reagan's assassination attempt in 1981 affect his presidency?


  It generated sympathy and admiration, which may have helped him pass legislation.
• What were the effects of Reagan's policies on inflation and unemployment?


  • Inflation fell from 13% in 1980 to 6% in 1982
  • Unemployment rose from 7% in 1981 to 10% in 1983
• What was the impact of Reagan's policies on savings and investing?


  Recession ended in 1982, leading to improved business conditions and increased saving and investing.
• What crisis occurred in the late 1980s related to savings and investments?


  There was a savings and investments crisis and a brief stock market crash in 1987.
• How did Reagan's policies affect personal wealth?


  Tax cuts made many people richer, but the rich became richer while the poor did not benefit.
• What was the federal deficit in 1980 and how did it change by 1983?


  It was $59 billion in 1980 and rose to $208 billion by 1983.
• What was the impact of Reagan's economic policies on the federal deficit?


  • USA became a borrowing nation
  • Defense spending rose from 23% to 28%
  • Tax cuts did not yield expected supply-side benefits
• How did Bush's presidency differ from Reagan's regarding economic policies?


  Bush continued Reaganomics but was less popular due to long-term limitations becoming clear.
• What was the concept of New Federalism under Reagan?


  • Aimed to reduce federal interference in state and local affairs
  • Positive reception from the public suspicious of government intervention
  • Led to less funding for state and local projects
• How did Reagan reduce 'Big Government'?


  By cutting federal regulations and replacing federal agencies with private sector ones.
• What were the cons of deregulation during Reagan's presidency?


  • Big firms bought out struggling small firms
  • Big companies expanded while small independents struggled
  • Initially lower prices led to price-fixing later
• What was the Savings and Loan collapse and its consequences?


  Deregulation led to risky investments by S&Ls, resulting in a $10 billion loss and a $150 billion bailout by the federal government.
• How did deregulation affect trade during Reagan's presidency?


  It shifted the balance of world trade against the USA, leading to increased imports and job losses in the textile industry.
• Why did 'Big Government' not reduce as much as Reagan wanted?


  Congress blocked plans to remove regulations on environmental issues, and state governments were unwilling to take over federally controlled projects.
• What was Reagan's view on poverty and welfare?


  • Categorized poor into 'deserving' and 'welfare scroungers'
  • Focused on welfare fraud stories
  • Believed benefits created dependency
• What was the impact of Reagan's workfare policy?


  • Required at least one working parent for family benefits
  • Work provided was often below minimum wage
  • Struggles for single parents to find childcare